Key suspect's detention extended in Core Pacific City corruption probe

Taipei, Nov. 26 (CNA) A key suspect in an anti-corruption probe that has embroiled former Taipei Mayor Ko Wen-je (柯文哲) will remain in investigative detention for an additional two months after a court approved a request from prosecutors on Tuesday.

Lee Wen-tsung (李文宗), who previously ran Ko's office, is suspected of being involved in allegedly corrupt real-estate dealings in Taiwan's capital city dating back to Ko's second term as mayor between 2018 and 2022.

The Taipei District Court agreed with the Taipei District Prosecutors Office on Tuesday that Lee might destroy evidence or collude with others if released from detention.

The court thus ruled that prosecutors may continue to hold Lee incommunicado according to the law for an additional 60 days while they continue their investigation.

The ruling can be appealed.

Nov. 1: Timeline of Core Pacific City corruption case involving ex-Taipei mayor

Lee has been in custody since Sept. 28. Under Taiwanese law, suspects may be held for up to four months in investigative detention with the approval of a court.

Six suspects -- including Ko, former Taipei Deputy Mayor Pong Cheng-sheng (彭振聲) and an incumbent Taipei City Councilor Ying Hsiao-wei (應曉薇) -- are currently being held by prosecutors in relation to the case.

Named after a real-estate company whose currently detained chairman allegedly paid bribes to Taipei City government officials, the "Core Pacific City case" initiated in April this year has rocked Taiwan's political scene.

Ko is currently the leader of the Taiwan People's Party (TPP), Taiwan's third-largest party, which has significant influence in the Legislature due to neither the ruling Democratic Progressive Party nor the main opposition Kuomintang commanding a majority of seats.

The TPP, which was established by Ko in 2016, has not replaced Ko as the party's chairman, even though he has already been held incommunicado by prosecutors for nearly three months.